Always Remember
by NickyW
Summary: It's a cold October night and Maria is trying to keep warm. Will the flames from the fire be enough?


**Authors note:-** Thanks go to lemacd for agreeing to read this story and for giving me her honest opinions, I also thank her for coming up with the title! I actually know very little about the "real Von Trapps" ie. how many children they had together, where they lived after leaving Austria, so for the sake of simplicity I've employed a large amount of artistic license and therefore the story is still set in Austria and they live in the same place although several years have passed.

 **Disclaimer: -** No copyright infringement intended. I own nothing apart from my ideas!

 **Rating: -** A very tame T

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 **Always Remember**

By

NickyW

It was a cold, miserable night, somewhat typical for late October and Maria had been more than happy to settle by the fire in the study. Now that the majority of the children had flown the nest, she knew that she could relax completely with very little chance of being disturbed. In fact, she had already decided to change into her night attire before venturing back downstairs. This was how Maria loved to spend her evenings - at least she used to, before…

Maria was rudely awoken from her daydream, as the fire that had been roaring fiercely in the hearth suddenly flickered dramatically and she felt a cold chill penetrate her bones. She leaned forward to disturb the coals and poke some life back into them before sitting back and pulling her shawl around her. She shivered uncontrollably and no sooner had the goose bumps started to appear on her arms, when she felt his strong arms envelop her, pulling her close to him. She didn't need to look round to know that it was the warm and comforting embrace of her darling husband.

Maria let her head fall against his shoulder. She had always felt so safe and secure in his arms, ever since he held her close and declared his love for her in the Gazebo all those years ago. In that moment she had known, that standing before her was the man that she would spend the rest of her life with… her soulmate.

She felt his fingertips softly caressing her cheek and she could feel the damp heat of his breath on her neck.

"Oh, can this be happening to me?" she sighed, as he continued to pepper the sweetest kisses along her collarbone.

"Remember…" she heard him whisper, his voice, soft and loving, as his lips now grazed her forehead. Maria's head began to spin with the sensation of feeling him next to her, he had never lost the ability to transform her into an emotional wreck, both mentally and physically, just by his mere touch.

"Remember our first kiss," he continued, and in her mind Maria was instantly transported to the Gazebo on that beautiful moonlit night. She could see his gorgeous blue eyes sparkling, full of promises that he would fulfil, over and over in the years that were to follow.

She blushed when she remembered how she had sung to him that night and how he had revelled in her beauty and innocence. Their kiss had been brief but for Maria it had been the most heavenly experience that she had ever had. Only in her wildest dreams (and she had to admit that she had dreamed of it) had she imagined that his lips could be so delicious and yet so delicate. She had wanted more but she knew that patience was a virtue and that before long she would be able to taste his lips whenever she pleased.

Maria felt his fingers trail languidly down her arm until they came to rest atop her own hand. He took her hand in his and slowly lifted it to his lips, where he kissed her palm softly and brought it up to cup his own cheek. She sighed and sank back further into his embrace, resting slightly across his firm chest.

With tears stinging her eyes she whispered, "Sing for me, Georg." She could feel his lips move against her temple as he began to sing very quietly and the tears that had threatened to fall, started to trickle down her cheeks.

"Edelweiss, Edelweiss,

Every morning you greet me,

Small and white, clean and bright,

You look happy to meet me,

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow,

Bloom and grow forever,

Edelweiss, Edelweiss,

Bless… my homeland… forev…" The singing trailed off gently and almost as soon as it had begun she could hear his mellow voice no longer.

Maria closed her eyes to try and stem the flow of tears as he brought his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Always remember I love you."

His lips captured hers in a sweet, chaste kiss. Feeling him pull away, Maria instinctively brought her fingers to her lips trying to capture his kiss forever.

As she slowly and tentatively opened her eyes, her head dropped gently against the back of the settee. She felt the temperature in the room plunge once more as the fire this time spat and crackled its last.

Maria turned in hope but there was nothing, just like all the other times when she had felt his presence but in reality all that was left was a crippling sense of loss and the hope that one day soon she would truly feel his arms around her once again.

~X~

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The song "Edelweiss" was written by Oscar Hammerstein and composed by Richard Rodgers.

 **NB This is not the sort of story I would normally write or even choose to read because I find them too sad when they involve a character death. But as it's a Halloween story I thought it fitted with the Ghost idea. If you've got this far, then thank you. I'm notoriously bad at giving reviews, even though I have loved reading each and every one of TSOM fics recently, but I would truly appreciate your comments. I hope it wasn't too hard to read.**


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